Shopping: Local Valentine's gifts

For a holiday meant to spread love, Valentine's Day has a surprising share of haters.

For a holiday meant to spread love, Valentine's Day has a surprising share of haters.

Anti-Valentine's supporters have called bollocks on the day of hearts for a while. It's a holiday made up by morally corrupt corporations, they declare, designed to make lemming-like consumers waste money on chocolate, underwear and teddy bears.

Here's a solution: Give Cupid his arrows back and use this opportunity to support local vendors.

Check out these Valentine's Day items available at shops only found inside our county lines. In addition, stop by What the Rock?! for red-hot candy hearts, SoBo Style for fabric heart garlands or Umbrella Girl Productions for old-timey cards.

Candles, $15

Candle Lab

Multiple locations

thecandlelab.com

Set the mood with champagne, rose petals, bubble bath or dark chocolate scents. Having trouble finding a gift for your manly man? He might appreciate a candle that smells like cedar, leather, campfire or bacon.

Cupcake pops, $1.75 each, and red velvet cupcakes, $2.50 each

Blue Frost Cupcake

657 High St., Worthington

614-844-4850

bluefrostcupcake.com

Sugar up your sweetheart with these fun desserts created just for the holiday by the Worthington bakers.

Stationery, $4.50

Igloo Letterpress

39 W. New England Ave., Old Worthington

614-787-5528

iglooletterpress.com

Don't quit the "Brokeback" joke, or get more sentimental with a "Love You" card.

Pillow, $6-$15

Moxie's

3339 N. High St., Clintonville

614-657-6854

Feel the felt pillow love. Lay your head down. Stay awhile.

Personalized cookies, $3

Pattycake Bakery

3009 N. High St., Clintonville

614-784-2253

pattycakeveganbakery.com

If you can't find just the right message on those old-school conversation hearts, Pattycake can help. They'll adorn these vegan sugar cookie cut-outs with any message you desire - even an X-rated one.